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Chopper, plane to boost piracy fight
– $212M spent to refurbish aircraft
– More boats for police
The government will throw a refurbished chopper and airplane into the battle to stop increasing incidents of piracy on the high seas, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon announced yesterday.
He said that the old Bell 412 helicopter, along with a Cessna aircraft, which were being put back into operation, would be used to beef up patrols along the high season as part of a sustained plan to protect fishermen.
Over the last weekend, pirates attacked an estimated 15 fishing vessels off the Essequibo Coast, putting at risk the lives of 19 fishermen. The men have all been rescued.
However, five fishermen who joined the rescue effort without their life-jackets were washed away by rough waters. One of the men survived, while two bodies have been recovered over the past two days. The search is still on for the other two men.
Yesterday, Luncheon admitted that the effort to beef up the army’s air corps did not go ahead with the speed and scope the administration intended, but he said there is now a renewed effort to do so.
Government yesterday announced that the old army’s Bell 412 chopper will be added to the fight to stamp out piracy. Some $212M has been spent to bring the chopper back into operation.
As a result, mid-last year, the government committed resources to refurbish the Bell 412 and the Cessna. Luncheon told Kaieteur News that an estimated $212 million has been spent thus far on the refurbishments.
In addition, he said that more boats will be acquired for the marine section of the Guyana Police Force so that there could be routine patrols.
According to Luncheon, the fight against piracy also underscores the need for “profound, solid” intelligence gathering, which the law enforcement agencies would also be working towards.
On Monday, a delegation of fisherfolks who were led by Region Two’s Member of Parliament, Cornel Damon, met President Donald Ramotar.
The group that met the President represented the shareholders of the damaged vessels of the weekend pirate attacks, but according to Damon about 60 persons including employees have been affected by the criminal act committed.
Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn on Saturday last, after reports of the incident surfaced, activated the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) which comprised the Coast Guard, which worked in conjunction with the police to conduct the search and rescue and commenced investigations into the incident, after which a helicopter reconnaissance flew over the area where three persons were later rescued.
The MRCC in continuing its efforts later provided the coordinates of their mission to the police and Coast Guard teams who were dispatched over land, and on Sunday morning last, the team rescued another 15 fisherfolks who were left drifting in the Pomeroon River area after the attack.
The MRCC is said to be continuing their investigations into the pirate attacks.
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